We Can't Wait to Celebrate on October 22nd, 2021

**FROM GRIFFIN'S POINT OF VIEW** After a few days of messaging & texting, I figured it was time to finally step up and see if this (way out of my league) girl would join me on a date. The initial attempt didn't go well - my invitation to meet up for drinks after work was met with a "C'mon. Boring. You can do better than that." My first clue that she was a keeper. I quickly followed up with "Rock climbing. 7pm. See you there". The evening on the rock wall went great and it took no more than one time up for her to reveal her competitive side. But looking back, we both agreed that being around one another just felt easy and right. As we left the rock climbing facility, I asked if she would join me for dinner. I was frankly surprised when I got a "No". I must have read this date all wrong. She quickly clarified that she had food allergies that made eating out with her sometimes difficult. Undeterred, I told her I was willing to risk it and we headed around the corner for dinner. And wouldn't you know it, we sat down and realized there was only ONE item on the menu that was gluten free...the jumbo shrimp platter. Two hours of laughs and three platters of jumbo shrimp later we finally called it a night. The rest is history.

**FROM ASHLEY'S POINT OF VIEW** My friend Amanda, one of Griffin's proposal partners in crime, invited me to brunch with a few of our other girl friends. It seemed a bit last minute, but nothing too strange. When I told Griff, he quickly followed up with "Sounds awesome, I am going to go golfing with Moody." Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Following a casual brunch, one of the girls suggested we walk a couple of blocks over to the Mississippi River Walk by the Hennepin Bridge. As I trotted down the staircase that took us from bridge to river level, obnoxiously declaring that these stairs are brutal on a rainy morning run, I noticed a super cute puppy, patiently sitting by the water. Not registering that Griff was the one sitting there with the puppy, I announced to everyone that they should check out the adorable pup. It wasn't until the girls and I got to the bottom of the stairs that I realized it was Griff, waiting there. My friends hung back as I walked up to the duo. Griff then told me the puppy was ours, and we could keep him if I would like. After an emphatic yes, Griff got on one knee, despite the fact that we were both on the ground, and said "Do you see how happy you are right now? I always want to be the one to make you this happy." Neither of us can remember the rest, but we are 99.9% sure he did ask me to marry him, and 99.8% sure I said yes.